akademikmalaysia

ASEAN TURN Workshop, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

2012-02-06T23:59:00.003+08:00

Trade Union Rights Network (TURN)

ASEAN Sub-regional Workshop on Trade Union Skills Development
12-14 September 2011, Hotel Cambodiana, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Organised by Education International (EI) and
Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES)

Facilitators:
Rey Dolot, EI Asia Pacific
Dominique Marlet, EI HQ Brussels
Andre Edelhoff, FES Asia

Participation:
36 participants from Malaysia, Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand
12 from Malaysia representing GERAK/MOVE, NUTP, MAE, SabahTU and SarawakTU

GERAK/MOVE representatives:
Rosli H Mahat, UM, General Secretary
Nor Faridah Abdul Manaf, IIUM, Committee Member

Topics:
Freedom of association
Collective bargaining
Gender equality
Women rights
Education for all
Country reports
National action plans
International grievance machinery

Post workshop action plan:
Repeating the workshop for local members
National action plan for GERAK and university level organisations
Preparation for UN human rights review of Malaysia in 2013

Prof. Nor Faridah Abdul Manaf (GERAK, UIAM), Prof. Madya Rosli H Mahat (GERAK, UM)

& Ms. Azhani Maskan (MAE, INTI)

Asia Pacific Academics Conference (APAC)

2012-02-06T23:03:00.000+08:00

First Announcement

Asia Pacific Academics Conference (APAC)
University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
9-11 July 2012

Co-organized by
Malaysian Academics Movement (MOVE/GERAK)
University of Malaya Academic Staff Association (PKAUM).

Introduction

Meetings among higher education staff unions and associations in the Asia Pacific region are very rare. The last meeting being the Education International (EI) 5th International Higher Education and Research Conference held in Melbourne, Australia in December 2005. Even on an international scale, we only have the Caucus on Higher Education and Research during EI Congresses. The last EI congress was held in 2010 at Cape Town, South Africa.

Due to this factor, collaborations and networking among the unions has been rather weak. In order to change this situation, this conference was organized as a meeting among academic staff organizations in the Asia Pacific region.

The University of Malaya Academic Staff Association will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of its formation on 3 March 2012. It is the oldest academic union in Malaysia. This conference is to be part of this celebration.

This conference is co-organized by the Malaysian Academics Movement (MOVE / GERAK) and the University of Malaya Academic Staff Association (PKAUM).

Objectives

To disseminate information on academic rights and increase the awareness and understanding of such rights.
To formulate a plan of action for national and international responses to breach of academic rights
To discuss about the current situation in the various countries and university campuses and provide solution for the problems.
To discuss problems of mutual interest
To buildup a network among academics in the Asia Pacific Region

Call for participation

Participation is open to academic and tertiary staff unions and associations. Individual academics, researchers, students, administrators and university officials are also welcome to participate.

Call for papers

The programmed will cover topics of interest to the academics. These include:

Academics rights
Trade union rights
Academic Advocacy and strategy
Country and campus reports
Organization reports
Academic assessment
University ranking
Teaching and learning
and others.

Participants are welcome to give a presentation to the conference on topics of interest to the participants. A proceeding of the conference is planned to be published.

Registration

Participants are encouraged to register as early as possible, especially those with intention to present a paper. Please register by submitting name, affiliation address, email and title of paper, if any to the address below.

The registration fees are as follows:

Normal participants RM400 (USD140)
Members of academic organizations RM300 (USD100)
Members of academic organizations from developing countries RM200 (USD70)

Accommodations

Accommodations are available at the University Guesthouse, University of Malaya and nearby hotels in Petaling Jaya. Arrangement will be made for morning pickup and evening drop-off. Further detail on the accommodations will be given in the second announcement.

Further information

For further information and preliminary registration, please contact:

Rosli H Mahat
General Secretary
Malaysian Academic Movement

c/o Physics Department, University of Malaya
50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
akademikmalaysia@gmail.com
+60 16 6205242

Additional information will be given in the second announcement which will be mailed out in April 2012.

Peristiwa Tahun Baru 2012 di UPSI

2012-01-08T01:55:00.000+08:00

Kenyataan Media 6 Januari 2012

GERAK ingin merakamkan rasa terkejut dan sedih akan peristiwa pertelingkahan antara pelajar dan polis di Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) pada dini hari tahun baru 2012. GERAK merasa sangat kesal akan pengaliran darah dalam peristiwa tersebut.

Berbagai tuduhan dan tomahan telah dilancarkan terhadap para pelajar dan anggota polis yang terlibat sehinggakan susah untuk mendapatkan gambaran yang sebenar. Para pelajar menuntut hak yang termaktub dalam Perlembagaan Malaysia dan konvensyen antarabangsa. Pihak polis pula dikatakan mengguna kuasa untuk menjaga keamanan.

GERAK menuntut ditubuhkan satu suruhanjaya siasatan diraja (Royal Comission Of Inquiry) untuk menyiasat peristiwa Tahun Baru 2012 di UPSI. Selain dari mencari kebenaran dalam peristiwa tersebut, hak pelajar dan kuasa polis harus juga dikaji semula dan diperhalusi. Ini agar semua pihak menjadi arif terhadap hak dan kuasa masing-masing. Peristiwa sebegini tidak patut diulangi lagi.

GERAK juga menuntut SUHAKAM mengadakan satu siasatan awam (public inquiry) terhadap peristiwa ini.

Bagi pihak GERAK,

Prof Madya Rosli H Mahat
Setiausaha Agung
Pergerakan Tenaga Akademik Malaysia (GERAK)

Media Statement 29th November 2011

2011-12-05T14:12:00.000+08:00

Resolved that the Malaysian Academic Movement (MOVE) once again reiterate our concern with respect to the continuing persecution and intended prosecution of Professor Aziz Bari of the International Islamic University Malaysia by the powers that be. We urge the parties concern to stop and revoke all investigation and disciplinary proceedings that aim to intimidate students and academics from addressing their immediate concerns.

Professor Aziz is a highly regarded scholar of Malaysian constitutional law and society. While he has written many scholarly books over the years on Malaysian Constitution, he continues to be persecuted by the police, politicians and his own university (IIUM) for his scholarship. Advocates of public debates and nonviolent approaches like Professor Aziz are silenced by state power and its apparatus.

Professor Aziz is becoming the symbol against a long history of academic repression and harsh censorship in Malaysia. Unfortunately, the problem of intellectual freedom and free speech in Malaysia has had a poor record under the current leadership. In 2011, the World Press Freedom Index placed Malaysia in 143th place in a list of 196 countries, whereas Malaysia was in 124th position when the current leadership came to power in 2008. Moreover, constitutional guarantees of freedom of the press, expression and assembly are undermined by other provisions, and in practice they are only partially upheld.

Prof Aziz Bari’s prosecution for exercising his right to freedom of expression conflicts with Malaysia's obligations to recognize the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; the right to freedom of expression; and the right to freedom of assembly and freedom of association as delineated by the Constitution of Malaysia. Thus, threatening and intimidating students and professors for exercising their right to free expression and assembly violates international and Malaysian law.

Punishing dissenting comments and ideas badly undermines academic freedom, which is all about the right to free expression and freedom of opinion. The International Islamic University Malaysia should reinstate Professor Aziz to his former status and rescind all investigation and disciplinary proceedings.

We believe that institutions of higher learning must resolutely uphold and defend the principles of academic freedom, and must also be sanctuaries for the free expression of ideas and opinions. This means that universities must also be a haven for controversial speech. We commend our national and international colleagues for your clear and vigorous defense of academic freedom and free speech in this case, and we continue to stand firm in defense of Professor Aziz Bari.

On behalf of MOVE,

Prof Wan Abdul Manan Wan Muda
Chariperson
Malaysian Academic Movement (MOVE)

DECLARATION OF EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL, 25 NOVEMBER 2011

2011-12-05T14:06:00.000+08:00

Every person has the right to live free of coercion, discrimination and fear of violence.
Every girl and woman has the right to live free of coercion, discrimination and fear of violence

Every girl and woman has the right to education. Without education to empower economic, social and political participation, solutions to global problems of poverty, conflict and violence are beyond reach.

Yet, for hundreds of millions of girls and women worldwide, these human rights are denied. Education International works to ensure that women’s rights are protected. Further, EI recognizes that gender based violence is not a woman’s issue-it is an issue that concerns all of mankind.

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, marked every year on 25 November, acknowledges injustice and encourages change. EI calls upon teacher organisations to raise awareness of the scope of the phenomenon of violence against girls and women, and to organise prevention measures to eliminate violence against women in the union, in the workplace and in the community. Schools must be safe spaces for all, learners and teachers, if they are to full fill their promise of truly being places where people learn and grow together.

EI advocates for the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), especially Article 10, which calls for all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the field of education and the elimination of stereotyped concepts of roles of men and women at all levels and in all forms of education. Non-discriminatory education benefits both girls and boys and thus ultimately contributes to more equal relationships between women and men.

EI seeks to build commitment to non-violence and peace in the minds of men and women education workers through gender-sensitive trade union and human rights education and non-violent approaches to conflict resolution.

On this 25 November, EI calls on governments to guarantee the provision of quality universal public services, in particular quality education and vocational training free of charge and with adequate facilities, qualified teachers, gender-sensitive relevant curricula, safe transportation, and sanitation. It is through these measures that girls and women with have the chance to achieve not only literacy but empowerment and the right to lead their lives free of the fear of violence and discrimination.

For further information go to

· EI Congress resolution on Gender Equality
http://download.ei-ie.org/Docs/WebDepot/2.4.1E_Gender_Equality.doc

· ITUC Trade unions say no to violence against women and girls
http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/ITUC-violence-pageGB.pdf

· UN Women Virtual Knowledge Centre to end Violence against Women and Girls
http://www.endvawnow.org/

· UN Women 16 Steps to End Violence against Women
http://www.unwomen.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/EN-16-Steps.pdf

Forum Kebebasan Akademik di Malaysia

2011-11-14T10:54:00.000+08:00

Masa: Selasa, 1 November 2011 mulai 8.30 malam
Tempat: Bilik Wau, Rumah Universiti, Universiti Malaya

Anjuran Bersama:
Pergerakan Tenaga Akademik Malaysia (GERAK)
International Islamic Univesity Malaysia Academic Staff Association (IIUMASA)
Persatuan Kakitangan Akademik Universiti Malaya (PKAUM)

Aturcara:
1) Pengenalan kepada kebebasan akademik - Prof Madya Rosli H Mahat
2) Forum Kebebasan Akademik di Malaysia

Ahli Panel:
Prof Wan Manan Wan Muda (USM)
Dato Dr Denison Jayasooria (UKM)
Prof Madya Zaharom Naim (Nottingham U)
Mohd Zaki Sukery (GAMIS)

Academic Freedom Without Fear or Favour

2011-11-05T18:50:00.000+08:00

Sharifah Hapsah Shahabudin
Vice Chancellor
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

http://www.ukm.my/news/index.php/en/extras/881

MEDIA STATEMENT

2011-10-20T10:24:00.001+08:00

MOVE would like to draw attention to the recent allegations and undue pressures impressed upon our fellow academic Professor Abdul Aziz Bari.

We are concerned and troubled by the negative remarks and personal attacks towards Prof Abdul Aziz. He is well qualified to make his stand clear over matters within his field of expertise. Threats and personal attacks are inappropriate and unprofessional. If anyone disagrees with him, they should be engaging him in a rational and professional discourse.

As an academic renowned for his contribution to the academia, Prof Aziz has the right to express his professional views freely and without prejudice as upheld by the notion of academic freedom. Academic freedom is a basic right of every academic, and must be respected and preserved.

The various principles of academic rights and academic freedom are enshrined in a UNESCO document, “Recommendations Concerning the Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel”, which was conceded by the UNESCO General Assembly on the 11th of November 1997; among others, Article 26 and 27 have stated clearly that academics’ freedom involves “the right to contribute to social change through freely expressing their opinion of state policies and of policies affecting higher education”. It further emphasizes “they should not suffer any penalties simply because of the exercise of such rights”. The recent provocative actions directed towards Prof Aziz shows a clear violation of the said articles.

MOVE/GERAK once again invites all concerned to reflect on the basics of academic rights and freedom. As we envision Malaysia to be a developed nation, may this nation be not left behind in its fundamentals of upholding the sovereignty of academic institutions and that of academic freedom. Let us be hopeful to shape a country that provides world class education; excellent in all its ways, yet has not sacrificed its soul to get there. All stakeholders must be in compliance with the Recommendation for Malaysia to be a hub for higher education on par with world class universities.

KENYATAAN MEDIA GERAK

2011-10-20T10:21:00.000+08:00

19 October 2011

GERAK ingin menarik perhatian terhadap tohmahan dan tekanan didalam media terhadap tokoh akademik Profesor Abdul Aziz Bari.

GERAK merasa terkilan atas celaan berbentuk peribadi yang telah dikenakan terhadap beliau. Prof Abdul Aziz adalah seorang yang berwibawa dan berkelayakan untuk membuat kenyataan ilmiah dan rasional dalam bidang kepakaran beliau. Mana-mana pihak yang tidak bersetuju dengan pandangan beliau sepatutnya menghujah balas secara rasional dan profesional tanpa sebarang ugutan atau celaan pribadi.

Sebagai seorang ahli akademik, Prof Abdul Aziz berhak menyatakan pendapat seperti yang telah dilakukannya. Ini adalah sebahagian dari kebebasan akademik yang dipunyai oleh setiap ahli akademik. Mana-mana negara yang mahukan universiti mereka disanjungi dan dihormati sebagai universiti bertaraf dunia pasti menyokong, menghormati dan melindungi kebebasan akademik ini.

Kebebasan akademik ini telah disaran oleh UNESCO melalui satu dokumen bertajuk Recommedation Concerning the Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel. Dokumen ini telah diluluskan oleh perhimpunan agung UNESCO pada 11 November 1997. Kebebasan akademik ada termaktub dalam artikel 26 dan 27 Recommendation tersebut. Antara hak yang dinyatakan dalam Recommendation tersebut ialah:

“hak untuk menyumbang kepada perubahan sosial melalui kebebasan menyatakan pendapat mereka terhadap dasar-dasar negara dan dasar-dasar yang memberi kesan kepada pendidikan tinggi. Mereka tidak seharusnya dikenakan apa-apa penalti semata-mata kerana mengguna hak tersebut”

GERAK menyeru semua pihak supaya menghayati dan menghormati kebebasan akademik. Semua pihak hendaklah akur terhadap Recommendation tersebut pada bila-bila masa. Keperihatinan pihak-pihak yang berkepentingan (stakeholders) dalam perkara ini amat perlu untuk memertabatkan Malaysia sebagai hub pendidikan tinggi antarabangsa dengan universiti-universitinya bertaraf dunia.

Diedarkan bagi pihak GERAK oleh

Rosli H Mahat
Setiausaha Agung
Pergerakan Tenaga Akademik Malaysia (GERAK)

World Bank: Race quotas, politics led to falling UM standards

2011-10-18T17:36:00.002+08:00

Race quotas, politics led to falling UM standards, says World Bank study

By Leslie Lau
Executive Editor
Malaysian Insider, October 17, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 — A World Bank publication has found that standards at Universiti Malaya have fallen and the institution has been kept at a disadvantage because of race-based admission quotas and political interference in university management.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/race-quotas-politics-led-to-falling-um-standards-says-world-bank-study/

http://issuu.com/world.bank.publications/docs/9780821388051?mode=embed&layout=http://skin.issuu.com/v/light/layout.xml&showFlipBtn=true

The lost idealism of Malaysian universities

2011-10-11T16:38:00.002+08:00

Professor Dr Mohamad Tajuddin Mohamad Rasdi
Malaysiakini Oct 10, 2011

http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/178248

World Teachers’ Day 2011

2011-09-29T11:20:00.000+08:00

World Teachers’ Day, on 5 October, will be celebrated around the globe under the theme of ‘Teachers for Gender Equality’. Many education unions are already gearing up for the event by preparing actions that call for better and equitable working conditions, as well as demanding education systems that empower both girls and boys.

World Teachers’ Day commemorates the signing of the 1966 and 1997 UNESCO Recommendations on the Status of Teachers and Higher Education Teaching Personnel and EI invites everyone to join this celebration of millions of teachers who dedicate their time and energy to teaching children and adults.

Besides teachers in schools, World Teachers' Day also honours the academics in the universities.

For further information, click: http://www.ei-ie.org/en/news/news_details/1961/

ACADEMIC RESEARCH ASSESMENT: Research Impact vs Research Product

2011-07-07T15:12:00.004+08:00

This paper was presented by the General Secretary at the National Higher Education Symposium 2011 at ISTAC, IIUM, Kuala Lumpur on 23 June 2011 (Please see Pages)

NEAR Newsletter for June 2011

2011-07-05T17:09:00.002+08:00

Network for Education and Academic Rights (NEAR) Newsletter June 2011

http://www.nearinternational.org/newsletter-detail.asp?startdate=2011-6-1&enddate=2011-6-30

National Higher Education Symposium 2011

2011-04-28T09:46:00.001+08:00

Conference Announcement:
National Higher Education Symposium 2011
22-23 June 2011
ISTAC, IIUM, KL

http://www.iium.edu.my/csqa/symposium2011

NATURE Special: The future of PhD

2011-04-27T12:01:00.002+08:00

Scientists attaining a PhD gain entry to an academic elite — but it's not as elite as it once was. More people are graduating with PhDs than ever before, and the growth shows no sign of slowing. Nature explores this and other issues surrounding the science PhD today and asks whether it needs reinvention.

http://www.nature.com/news/specials/phdfuture/index.html?WT.ec_id=NEWS-20110426

The Life and Death of Academic Freedom

2011-04-20T08:25:00.001+08:00

Book Review: The Lost Soul of Higher Education: Corporatization, the Assault on Academic Freedom, and the End of the American University. Ellen Schrecker. New York: New Press, 2010.

http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/academe/2010/ND/br/br1.htm

Education International Worlds of Education magazine

2011-04-16T21:01:00.001+08:00

Articles featured in this issue range from early childhood to higher education and explore the attack on education union rights in the USA; the mobilisation of EI affiliates around the world to defend quality public education; a review of the EI-OECD Summit on the Teaching Profession; members’ activities to celebrate the 100th International Women’s Day, and an in-depth report on the shortage of teachers in India, as well as the wave of democratic and teachers' union uprisings in North Africa and Arab countries.The magazine also previews EI initiatives to protect migrant teachers’ rights, to promote health and safety in schools, as well as providing affiliates with information on how to participate in Global Action Week (May 2011) and EI’s World Congress in Cape Town (July 2011). http://download.ei-ie.org/Docs/WebDepot/Worlds%20of%20Education%2037-English.pdf

Nature: Notes on a scandal

2011-03-10T09:25:00.003+08:00

2 different reactions to academic misconduct in 2 different countries. What would be the reaction in Malaysia?

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v471/n7337/full/471135b.html?WT.ec_id=NATURE-20110310

Nature, 471, 135–136 (10 March 2011)

Nature: The Arab Awakening

2011-03-02T18:31:00.001+08:00

Nature: Special: The Arab Awakening

http://www.nature.com/news/specials/arabawakening/index.html?WT.ec_id=NEWS-20110301

Nature: Egypt's youth 'key to revival'

2011-02-18T21:26:00.002+08:00

Country's future depends on democracy, education and research reform, say scientists. Political patronage and nepotism are rife in senior university appointments. The suppression of human rights, and the poor conditions for science, have also led to a brain drain to the West, and more recently to Gulf states.

http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110208/full/470147a.html?WT.ec_id=NEWS-20110215

NEAR Newsletter

2011-02-02T00:14:00.002+08:00

Network for Education and Academic Rights (NEAR) Newsletter, Jan 2011

http://www.nearinternational.org/newsletter-detail.asp?startdate=2011-1-1&enddate=2011-1-31

Globalisation: Mcdonaldlisation of Universities

2011-01-23T00:53:00.001+08:00

Critics often speak of Westernisation or Americanisation and 'new imperialism' to describe the homogenising forces in higher education .This may be the case when certain models are imposed on countries, for instance by colonial powers or global institutions such as the World Bank. But in Southeast Asia - and in particular in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia - the adoption of global university models appears more organic or voluntary.

http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=2011011422135016

Academe: A Practical Guide to Television and Radio Interviews

2011-01-22T12:32:00.002+08:00

Don’t get into a heated battle with TV and radio hosts, as they can keep slamming you on the air after the interview. Maintain your integrity, of course, but do so politely. The hosts control nearly everything during the interview process. They can put you on “delay” or turn off your feed. About the only thing you can control is walking off the set or hanging up the phone. But again, the hosts can slam you for doing that.

http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/academe/2010/SO/online/dela.htm

Nature: Citation bubble about to burst?

2011-01-06T14:14:00.002+08:00

Rankings are heavily influenced by citations, but these represent little more than symbols. They are comparable to the less-than-worthless collateralized debt obligations that drove the recent financial bubble, and, unlike concrete goods and real exports, they are easy to print and inflate .............

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v469/n7328/full/469034b.html

The Art-Science Devide

2010-12-24T00:07:00.002+08:00

Scientists must reach across the divide and speak up for campus colleagues in arts and humanities departments

Nature: Save university arts from the bean counters
http://www.nature.com/news/2010/101222/full/4681003a.html

Nature: Singapore's salad days are over

2010-12-09T12:29:00.001+08:00

Uncertainty has replaced confidence as economic reality bites science in the city-state and scientists find that their research funds now come with strings attached.

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v468/n7325/full/468731a.html

Nature: Self-plagiarism case prompts calls for agencies to tighten rules

2010-12-09T12:09:00.002+08:00

Is plagiarism a sin if the duplicated material is one's own? Self-plagiarism may seem a smaller infraction than stealing another author's work, but the practice is under increasing scrutiny, as the eruption two weeks ago of a long-standing controversy at Queen's University in Kingston, Canada, makes clear.

To read more, see http://www.nature.com/news/2010/101207/full/468745a.html

Scientists Without Borders

2010-10-18T11:57:00.003+08:00

Dear Colleague,
Scientists Without Borders unveiled its new website during the United Nations General Assembly week. We invite YOU to be one of the first to explore the site.To get started, simply click here to create your profile, then start exploring. If you experience any difficulties or need any additional assistance, please email administrator@scientistswithoutborders.org

Below you will find a list of the new features available on the website and we encourage you to send us your feedback. Feel free to share this with colleagues and friends who may also be interested in sharing challenges and solutions around the world. Links to our Facebook and Twitter feeds can be found in the right hand column.

SPECIAL NEW FEATUREAs you will see, we have redesigned the website to enhance your experience and provide you with greater opportunity to connect with one another and to use your vast expertise, skills, resources and passion, to collaboratively tackle the urgent global development challenges facing our planet.CHALLENGESAmong the most exciting new things Scientists Without Borders now provides is a “Challenges” feature. The Scientists Without Borders Challenges represent our commitment to using innovative methods to enable you, our users and partners, to leverage your cross-disciplinary, multi-sector expertise and resources and generate meaningful impact in realizing our shared commitment to improving the quality of life in the world’s poorest and most vulnerable communities.

POST YOUR CHALLENGES: Now you can post a challenge that you are facing in your work – whatever it may be – and seek solutions from the worldwide network of creative Scientists Without Borders problem-solvers.

OFFER SOLUTIONS: Check out the current challenges posted on the site and put your own problem-solving skills to work. Collaborate with fellow users to generate and refine the solutions offered or offer your resources – ranging from expertise, time, services, and equipment – in our Scientists Without Borders Exchange.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Click here to read more about posting challenges and offering solutions. Click the FAQ link in the left hand column. SPREAD THE WORDWe invite you to spread the word to your friends and colleagues to become members of Scientists Without Borders and encourage you to share your activities within the Scientists Without Borders platform and across your own social networks. The more passionate and committed problem-solvers we can bring into the community, the greater our collective impact will be.

We thank you for being such an important part of Scientists Without Borders and we are looking forward to working together with you on these important issues. Feel free to contact us: administrator@scientistswithoutborders.org.

Warmest regards,
Shaifali Puri
Executive Director

WE WELCOME
YOUR FEEDBACK
As core members of our community, we are very interested in your feedback and suggestions as you explore and navigate the new website. We very much value and benefit from your insights and feedback so that we can provide the best tools and environment for you. If you have any questions or wish to provide feedback, please email us at
administrator@scientistswithout borders.org.

The New York Academy of Sciences
7 World Trade Center, 250 Greenwich St, 40th Fl
New York, NY 10007-2157

Ted's Farewell Dinner

2010-10-04T17:22:00.004+08:00

Farewell dinner for

Ted Murphy, Assistant General Secretary, NTEU, Australia

during his farewell (end-of-term) visit to Kuala Lumpur, 3 September 2010

(l to r) Wan Manan (GERAK chairman), Azmi Sharom (PKAUM president), Ted, Ithnin Jalil (GERAK), Omar Shawkataly (GERAK), Ikmal Azam Thanaraj (KKAUM), Rosli Mahat (GERAK/PKAUM)

Friends from ESU Singapore

2010-09-30T14:37:00.007+08:00

MOVE-ESU Get-to-know meeting at Midvalley on 27 September 2010

Sdr Chiam Tow Jong, ESU General Treasurer, NUS Branch Secretary

Sdr Michael Tan, ESU President, NUS Branch Chairman

Sdr Rosli H Mahat, MOVE Secretary General
Sdri Grace Ho, ESU Assistant General Secretary, NTU Branch Secretary
Sdr James Tan, ESU Deputy Executive Secretary

Education Services Union (ESU) (http://esu.org.sg/) is a union for academic and non-academic employees of private educational institutions in Singapore, including NUS, NTU and SMU.

Desmond Tutu: We Must Boycott and Isolate Israeli Universities

2010-09-27T23:48:00.001+08:00

Israeli Universities are an intimate part of the Israeli regime, by active choice. While Palestinians are not able to access universities and schools, Israeli universities produce the research, technology, arguments and leaders for maintaining the occupation..........

http://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2010/09/26/desmond-tutu-boycott-isolate-israeli-universities/

Education International First World Women's Conference

2010-09-27T13:14:00.002+08:00

EI's First World Women's Conference
Bangkok, 20-23 January 2011

Reopening of the conference pre-registration process
Deadline: 29 October 2010

Dear Colleagues,As you are aware, Education International's First World Women’s Conference “On the Move for Equality” has been postponed to 20-23 January 2011, due to the unstable political situation in Thailand.I am pleased to announce that the pre-registration process for the conference has been reopened. Please read carefully the attached Registration Information Sheet and the Registration section on this webpage.Member organizations which have already registered participants and have not yet reconfirmed their representative(s), as requested by the EI secretariat on 17 May 2010, should do so as soon as possible.Member organizations wishing to register new participants are invited to complete the attached form and return it to EI Brussels by 29 October 2010.Please note that EI will not provide financial assistance to newly registered participants.If you have any further questions, please email us at women2011@ei-ie.org.EI is looking forward to an inspiring and engaging conference and welcomes your active participation.

Yours sincerely,Fred van LeeuwenGeneral Secretary

http://www.ei-ie.org/en/calendar/show.php?id=238&theme=gender#venue

New Site for Academic Freedom and Rights

2010-07-23T11:19:00.003+08:00

New Site for Academic Freedom and Rights by SAR

http://www.academicfreedom.info/

Shad Faruqi: Reflecting on The Law

2010-07-15T11:12:00.004+08:00

The Star, Wednesday July 14, 2010
Bridging theory and reality
REFLECTING ON THE LAW
By SHAD SALEEM FARUQI

Universities must be allowed more leeway to experiment and to innovate if we are to produce well-balanced graduates with professionalism, idealism, wisdom and vision.

To read more.........
http://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?col=reflectingonthelaw&file=/2010/7/14/columnists/reflectingonthelaw/6657833&sec=Reflecting On The Law

United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women online discussion

2010-06-28T11:39:00.001+08:00

TO ALL MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS
TO ALL REGIONAL OFFICES

Brussels, 25 June 2010

REF: United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women online discussion (July 7-20, 2010)

Dear Colleagues,

EI invites member organizations to join the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW) online discussion on “the linkages between women’s and girls' access to and participation in formal and non-formal education and training, and their equal access to full employment and decent work”, to be held from 7 – 20 July 2010.

Online discussion and podcast on gender, education and employment 7-20 July 2010 http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/csw55/onlinediscussion.html

The online discussion will take place from 7 to 20 July in both English and French. It is organized by the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women, Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Registration will be open from 7 July, and will be necessary for participants to post comments. Registered participants can also opt to follow the online discussion by e-mail. A podcast featuring experts discussing the theme will launch the online discussion on 7 July. You can send questions to the experts by visiting our website or e-mailing collete@un.org by 5 July. The online discussion is part of the preparatory process for the 55th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (2011), which will consider 'Access and participation of women and girls to education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women’s equal access to full employment and decent work' as its priority theme. For more information, or to request an email reminder when the discussion starts, please visit our website.
Feel free to circulate this invitation widely. United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women

EI, working in cooperation with Public Services International (PSI) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), will be contributing to and influencing the outcome of the 55th UN Commission on the Status of Women 2011 (UN CSW). The preparatory work leading to the 55th Session includes active participation in the online discussion.

Global Union Federations (GUFs) preparatory work can be greatly supported by its member organizations. EI invites your union to play an active role in the process; please join the online discussion on 7 – 20 July. Other means of supporting the preparatory work include monitoring the work of your government, and preparing reports which present the perspectives and priorities of education unions.

The theme of the online discussion is highly pertinent to our interests as global unions and perhaps of great interest to EI in particular. By participating in the online discussion EI and its member organization have the opportunity to share its knowledge and expertise in the process. The online discussion results will contribute to the preparatory process towards the 55th Session of the UN CSW, including the Expert Group Meeting.

Please contact EI at equality@ei-ie.org if you need any further information regarding this online discussion.

Best regards,

Jan Eastman
EI Deputy General Secretary

Moderator’s Summary of the discussion on “Access and participation of women and girls to education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women’s equal access to full employment and decent work” during the 54th Session of the UN CSW (March 2010)

Commission on the Status of Women
Fifty-fourth session
1-12 March 2010
Item 3 (a) of the provisional agenda
Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and to the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly entitled "Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century": implementation of strategic objectives and action in the critical areas of concern and further actions and initiatives: review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of the twenty-third special session and its contribution to sharing a gender perspective in the realization of the Millennium Development Goals
"Access and participation of women and girls to education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women’s equal access to
full employment and decent work"
Moderator’s summary
1. On 4 March 2010, the Commission on the Status of Women convened an expert panel on "Access and participation of women and girls to education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women’s equal access to full employment and decent work" in the margins of the session to provide an opportunity to raise issues to be considered in preparation for the priority theme of the Commission in 2011. Mr. Roberto Storaci, Vice-Chair of the Commission, moderated the discussion. The panellists were: Ms. Codou Diaw, Executive Director of the Forum for African Women Educationalists; Ms. Monazza Aslam, Research Officer at the University of Oxford’s Centre for the Study of African Economies; and Ms. Annette Williams, Founding Director of the UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology.
2. Participants highlighted the many benefits of educating girls – for both girls and society as a whole. The discussion emphasized that important achievements have been made in the past 15 years at all levels of formal education as well as in nonformal education. While not all countries are on track to meet the gender-related goals of ‘Education for All’ and the Millennium Development Goals, much progress has been made towards reaching gender parity in education. Gains made in education may, however, be jeopardized by the global financial and economic crisis, if funds are diverted from education to other sectors.
3. A number of barriers to girls’ access to education remain. Poverty, in particular, constitutes an overarching obstacle. Other limiting factors include: living in rural areas or urban slums, belonging to an ethnic minority, or living with a disability. Other challenges affecting girls’ participation in education include: cultural barriers, early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and violence against girls. These factors make it particularly difficult in some countries to retain adolescent girls in school. In addition, many children living in situations of armed conflict or in
1
post-conflict zones are excluded from education, and rebuilding efforts too often neglect social sectors such as education.
4. Among efforts to overcome such challenges, initiatives targeting economic barriers to education are of particular importance. Abolishing school fees is crucial, including for tertiary education, which remains unaffordable to many. Scholarships and school feeding programmes also have a beneficial impact. Other programmatic interventions have demonstrated the importance of taking into account the various constraints women face in accessing education. For example, a project on e-learning and distance education for women living in rural areas in one country was successful only after adding face-to-face instruction, child care services, transport to learning centres, and provision of food to the women and their children. Efforts to increase access to education should also harness the power of the media to tackle cultural barriers and raise awareness of the benefits of education for girls and women.
5. While access to education is a key issue, the policy focus should be broadened to encompass quality of education, which helps keep children in school. Quality of education has declined in a number of countries as access to education has expanded but funding has not increased concurrently. This is a paradox, as evidence suggests that school interventions promoting girls’ education contribute to better educational quality. In addition, research indicates that in some countries with single sex schools, girls may receive lower quality education than boys.
6. Increased investment in the quality of education is urgently needed, particularly for countries that are facing a large inflow of girls at the secondary level, and must be tackled by all stakeholders, including communities. Teachers must be qualified, treated as professionals, and trained in gender-sensitive teaching methods, so that they have high expectations for both boys and girls and can raise awareness of gender issues among students. Quality education also requires relevant curricula and materials, as well as a focus on critical thinking and pragmatic competencies.
7. Despite progress in women’s educational attainment and labour force participation in many countries, women continue to opt for a relatively narrow range of occupations, and they remain substantially less paid than men. Exploring how the rewards to women’s and men’s schooling differ may help shed light on these differences. The extent to which an additional year of education raises earnings can serve as a measure of the return on investment in education. Evidence shows that the return curve is convex – that earnings increase sharply at higher educational levels – and that overall, the return to education is higher for women than men. While research has traditionally found the return to differ between women and men at different levels of education, with a lower return to primary education for women, recent studies in some countries have pointed to a higher return for women than men at all education levels, and to a growing gender gap, to the advantage of women, at higher education levels.
8. This gap may be due to a shortage of women in certain skilled professions, which would translate into a salary premium for qualified women. Another explanation would be that women who access higher education are more able and motivated than other women, and that the higher return on education is a return on ability or motivation, which may not be found among men as
2
they face less barriers to higher education. Yet another reason could be that educated women are better able to counter discrimination in the workplace.
9. The gender gap in gains on education has important policy consequences. For instance, while primary education is critical to acquire literacy and numeracy skills, and to progress to higher levels of education, parents have a disincentive to send girls to school in countries where the return to investment in primary education is lower for women than for men. Moreover, the low supply of education to women in many countries, despite a higher return for women, points to institutional failures. The lack of state-provided old-age support may lead parents to invest in boys’ education, as any economic benefits of girls’ education would be reaped by in-laws.
10. Policies are needed to help absorb a growing supply of young educated women into the workforce. While women are more educated today than ever before, they are also more likely than men to be unemployed or to exit the labour market prematurely. The need for interventions targeted at young women is pressing, all the more so in the context of a global economic crisis. Demand-driven skills training programmes have proven successful in parts of Latin America. In countries where women face a broader set of obstacles, programmes that apply a ‘livelihoods approach’ may be better suited, as they address not only the need for skills but also constraints such as the lack of child care facilities or limited mobility. More generally, policies supporting women who have children are needed to ensure that they do not leave the labour market or that they return after breaks for child care.
11. Policies should also address issues such as the limited representation and participation of women in decision-making positions in both the public and the private sector. In addition, there is a need for policies to combat the prevalence of negative gender stereotypes, which lead some employers to discriminate against female job applicants, constrain women’s professional ambition and result in occupational segregation.
12. Occupational segregation is particularly visible in science and technology. Women remain underrepresented in these fields, both in tertiary education and in employment. The underrepresentation of girls and women in science, engineering and technology starts early and worsens at each stage of the vocational and professional career ladder. Women accumulate disadvantages, including in early choice of field of study, recruitment, retention and promotion. Women who participate in scientific and technical fields tend to opt for careers associated with health and caregiving, with women predominating in sectors such as medicine and bioscience, and absent from engineering or computing in a number of countries.
13. Girls’ career aspirations and choices are influenced by a range of factors, including gender stereotypes about which occupations are considered appropriate for girls and women. Science, engineering and technology are perceived to be a masculine territory and an unsuitable and uninspiring career option for girls. Barriers to successful careers in science, engineering and technology continue into vocational and higher education, where the learning environment can be hostile for girls, with teachers holding higher expectations of boys and giving them more attention and praise.
3
14. Attrition of women from science, engineering and technology is particularly severe in the transition from university to employment. Women often face structural and institutional barriers in academic and research careers, such as lack of transparency on pay and promotion procedures. Women also pay a career penalty to care for their children, due to lack of provision for part-time work or flexible delivery of research contracts.
15. Occupational segregation makes no economic sense, particularly in light of the shortage of scientists that a number of countries face. Women’s underrepresentation in science, engineering and technology limits scientific development, productivity and excellence and has a negative impact on economic growth, which is increasingly driven by technological innovation. Evidence suggests that diversity in teams enhances productivity and output. As decisions on research agenda are predominantly taken by men, the issues that are important to women may be neglected. The underrepresentation of women at senior level also impacts on the career aspirations of young women, offering few role models with which they can identify.
16. Governments’ involvement is crucial in efforts to increase women’s access to and participation in science, engineering and technology. Government initiatives can include legislation, quotas and equality standards to support institutional and cultural change. However, the underrepresentation of women in the science, engineering and technology workforce in countries with good gender equality legislation illustrates that this problem cannot be solved with legislation only. The establishment of resource centres to implement national strategies to increase the participation of women scientists and engineers, to provide leadership and create knowledge repositories to share good practices have shown some good results.
17. A coordinated approach that involves all stakeholders in education and employment is essential to the creation of an enabling environment for women to have fulfilling careers and enjoy the benefits of participating in science, engineering and technology careers equally to men. Such an approach is necessary to ensure that gains in one area are not undermined by policies in other areas. In this regard, the need for partnerships, in particular between Governments and the private sector, was emphasized.
18. Initiatives that can help increase women’s representation in science, engineering and technology include gender-responsive teaching and gender targets. Girls’ interest in these subjects can be enhanced through development of practical skills, mentoring and exposure to role models, as well as science fairs and field trips to high-tech companies. Women teachers, in particular, play a key role as mentors to create expectations among girls to succeed.
19. While the focus on expanding women’s access to science, engineering and technology in education is crucial to increase the supply of qualified women, particular attention needs to be paid to the retention and career development of these women. Initiatives that focus on leadership training, mentoring, and supporting a healthy work-family balance, are necessary but not sufficient to increase women’s progression in this field. It is crucial to also address the institutional barriers and gender stereotypes at all levels of education and in employment.
20. Participants raised a number of additional issues to be considered in preparation for the priority theme in 2011:
4 5
The impact of child labour on girls’ access to and participation in education
The need to engage communities in the elimination of gender-based violence at and on the way to/from school
Ways to address the specific needs of vulnerable girls in the classroom, including girls from ethnic minorities or girls living with disabilities
The importance of a rights-based approach to gender equality in the labour market
Strategies to involve men and boys in the promotion of women’s and girls’ participation in science and technology
The role of the media in reinforcing or challenging gender stereotypes, particularly with regard to women’s access to science and technology
Measures to increase women’s participation in trades (for instance builders, plumbers and electricians)
The participation of Ministries of Education and student unions in the fifty-fifth session of the Commission on the Status of Women.

Kenyataan Media PKAUM

2010-06-04T14:45:00.002+08:00

PERSATUAN KAKITANGAN AKADEMIK UNIVERSITI MALAYA (PKAUM)
Kenyataan Media
2 Jun 2010

PKAUM mengambil maklum kritikan terhadap majlis syarahan awam dan perbincangan mengenai buku Barry Wain, Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times yang telah disiarkan di dalam beberapa akhbar cetak dan elektronik.

Majlis tersebut merupakan satu wacana ilmiah dengan Sdr. Barry Wain, penulis buku tersebut serta tiga tokoh akademik Universiti Malaya. Ianya telah dijalankan dengan cara matang dan aman. Tidak ada dari kalangan para hadirin yang terdiri dari berbagai kaum dan peringkat umur, yang membantah terhadap apa yang dibincangkan atau apa yang tertulis di dalam buku tersebut.

PKAUM menganggap kritikan terhadap majlis syarahan awam tersebut sebagai mengkhianati kebebasan akademik dan autonomi universiti. PKAUM merasa sedih kerana masih banyak pihak yang kurang arif dan kurang prihatin terhadap fungsi universiti. Ramai yang masih beranggapan universiti adalah sebuah sekolah besar berasrama, tinggi sikit dari sekolah menengah.

Kekangan kepada universiti untuk menganjur sebarang majlis ilmiah akan membantut usaha menjadikan Universiti Malaya sebuah universiti bertaraf dunia. Bertaraf dunia tidak hanya bermaksud penarafan (ranking) tinggi. Ianya juga menghendakkan budaya akademik yang matang, sihat dan bebas. PKAUM menggesa semua pihak menghormati dan menghayati kebebasan akademik dan autonomi universiti. Bebaskan universiti untuk membina satu persekitan akademik yang sihat dan maju. Universiti Malaya tidak mahu kekal sebagai sebuah universiti dunia ketiga.

Azmi Sharom
Presiden
Persatuan Kakitangan Akademik Universiti Malaya (PKAUM)

QS Asian University Ranking 2010

2010-05-16T14:09:00.003+08:00

42. Universiti Malaya
58. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
69 Universiti Sains Malaysia
77. Universiti Putra Malaysia
82. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
151. Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia
201-250:
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
Multimedia University
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia
Universiti Teknologi Petronas

Cadangan untuk Kriteria Kenaikan Pangkat Profesor

2010-04-16T11:18:00.002+08:00

Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi (KPT) telah menubuhkan satu kumpulan pakar bagi penyediaan garis panduan standard untuk perlantikan profesor di IPT. Kumpulan pakar tersebut telah memberi perbentangan mengenai draf garis panduan kepada ahli-ahli Majlis Kerja GERAK di Putrajaya pada 22 Februari 2010.

GERAK menyokong baik usaha murni ini untuk menambahbaik cara perlantikan profesor dengan mengadakan satu standard minimum. Adalah diharapkan dengan adanya garis panduan ini, mertabat para profesor dan akademik, amnya akan dapat ditingkatkan.

GERAK juga menyokong KPT menetapkan standard minimum dan setiap IPT menentukan standard masing-masing yang lebih tinggi. Ini selaras dengan konsep autonomi universiti.

......................... untuk bacaan lanjut, sila ke:

http://blogakademikmalaysia.blogspot.com/p/maklumbalas-terhadap-cadangan-kpt.html

EI First World Women’s Conference, scheduled for May 19-22, 2010 in Bangkok

2010-04-16T11:00:00.001+08:00

URGENT

TO ALL MEMBER ORGANISATIONS
TO THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
TO THE REGIONAL OFFICES

Brussels, 13 April 2010

Dear Colleagues,

In the light of the unstable political situation in Thailand Education International wishes to announce that EI’s First World Women’s Conference, On the Move for Equality, scheduled for May 19-22, 2010 in Bangkok, has been postponed. It will be rescheduled later in the year in Bangkok in the same location at the Ambassador Hotel. The new dates, which will most likely be 24-27 September, will be confirmed to you as soon as we are advised that the situation has stabilized.

The decision to postpone the EI World Women’s Conference was taken by EI because several countries are now advising their citizens against travelling to Thailand, and the state of emergency, declared on 7th April, poses restrictions on freedom of assembly. Special permission from the Thai authorities would now be needed to hold the conference. Although EI would be likely to obtain such permission, it would be difficult to obtain it in time to allow the Conference to take place as scheduled. Unfortunately, relocating to another venue outside of Thailand on the scheduled dates is not feasible in the time available.
This circular will also be sent to all registered participants.

All registered participants who have already booked or purchased their flight to Thailand should contact their travel agency without delay to inquire about the possibility of changing and/or deferring their tickets to Bangkok by approximately five (5) months. An official statement from EI will be posted on the website www.ei-ie.org/women2010 for use by members with their travel or insurance agents in order to assist with claims for ticket refunds or ticket changes. EI will communicate directly with the Ambassador Hotel regarding reservations, and, subsequently, with all registered participants.

Please check the website for additional information, and for questions please contact women2010@ei-ie.org.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Yours sincerely,

Fred van Leeuwen
General Secretary

Malaysia in University World News

2010-03-30T10:53:00.001+08:00

MALAYSIA: Politician attacks state of academic freedom

http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20100326120800908
http://www.aliran.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1233:malaysian-scholars-be-more-critical-please&catid=94:2010&Itemid=49

Cadangan KPT untuk Baseline bagi Kenaikan Pangkat Profesor IPT Malaysia

2010-03-04T17:02:00.002+08:00

KPT telah meminta pandangan GERAK mengenai kriteria kenaikan pangkat profesor. KPT ingin mencadangkan syarat minimum (baseline) untuk kenaikan pangkat profesor IPTA dan IPTS. Tolong beri cadangan dan pandangan rakan-rakan mengenai isu ini sebelum pertengahan bulan Mac ini.
Antara persoalannya:
1) Apakah kriteria yang perlu digunakan dan apakah pemberatannya?
2) Apa standard yang diperlukan dan apakah kesannya terhadap autonomi universiti?
3) Bolehkah distandardisedkan bagi semua bidang dan semua IPT?
3) Bagaimana pula bagi perlantikan Distinguished Professor dan Emeritus Professor?

AAUP Launches New Online Journal

2010-02-17T10:30:00.000+08:00

The American Association of University Professors announces the publication of a new online journal—The AAUP Journal of Academic Freedom. This is the first journal devoted entirely to the subject of academic freedom and is funded by the AAUP’s Academic Freedom Fund. AAUP president Cary Nelson is the editor. It is available free of charge to everyone interested in the topic at http://www.academicfreedomjournal.org/index.html

GERAK/MOVE accepted as member of EI

2010-02-16T12:35:00.002+08:00

Education International (EI) Council has accepted the membership of GERAK/MOVE during their meeting in December 2009. The membership application of GERAK/MOVE was first submitted in August 2006.

University World News 3 February 2010

2010-02-03T10:04:00.002+08:00

UK: Supporting the Boycott on Israel: A view from within
MALAYSIA: Court overturns book censure
TAIWAN: Higher salaries to lure top academics
IRELAND: Universities urged to sack incompetent academics
UK: Bogus institutions still a problem

http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20100128191548846

University World News 21 January 2010

2010-01-21T10:13:00.001+08:00

Top news:
UK: Working Group to consider campus extremism
CAMEROON: Reversal of academic brain drain
ISRAEL-PALESTINE: Academic rights violated
CHINA: Chinese research reveals 'ghost-written' papers

http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20100114185927821

HAITI Earthquake Solidarity Fund

2010-01-15T09:04:00.001+08:00

TO ALL MEMBER ORGANISATIONS
TO THE EI EXECUTIVE BOARD
TO THE EI REGIONAL OFFICES

Brussels, 14 January 2010

Dear Colleagues,

Re: HAITI Earthquake Solidarity Fund - Urgent Action Appeal
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Education International, concerned about the humanitarian impact of the devastating earthquake which struck Haiti earlier this week, has launched a Special Fund to help the families of teachers who have been affected and to support our member organisation CNEH, the Confédération National des Enseignants d’Haïti, to re-establish its work of caring for teachers and promoting education.

Communication is extremely difficult but Education International is doing its best to establish contact with colleagues in Haiti. Initial reports suggest that the destruction and loss of life is considerable. The Haiti Press Network reports that many school buildings have collapsed and that hundreds of students are trapped under the rubble. The President of Haiti, René Préval has described a bleak situation to the Miami Herald, saying “Schools have collapsed. There are a lot of schools that have a lot of dead people in them.”

Our thoughts are with the survivors and people of Haiti during this difficult time. Immediate rescue efforts are vital and humanitarian aid agencies must be supported in their work. The long-term impact of the earthquake is immense and EI is committed to assisting CNEH so that they can support teachers, students and communities in their task of rebuilding their lives and returning to work and school.

We urge member organisations to demonstrate solidarity with Haitian colleagues and contribute to the EI Solidarity Fund. Donations can be transferred to the following account:

Education International “Fonds de Solidarité”
ING Bank
Rue du Trône, 14-16
1000 Brussels, Belgium
Account number: 310-1006170-75
IBAN: BE05 3101 0061 7075
SWIFT OR BIC CODE: BBRUBEBB

EI will continue efforts to liaise with Haitian colleagues to assess the impact on schools, teachers and students so as to determine how best to contribute to alleviating the unfolding humanitarian crisis. Updates will be available on the EI website. Unions interested in further information on EI plans for assistance should contact Nicólas Richards, EI Senior Coordinator, Solidarity and Development Unit at nicolas.richards@ei-ie.org.

Yours sincerely,

Fred van Leeuwen
General Secretary

Law to back academic freedom in Australia

2009-11-03T17:46:00.001+08:00

Article from: The Australian

DRAFT legislation to enshrine academic freedom and limit ministerial interference in university research could be released next year.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26173985-12332,00.html

2009 Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings

2009-10-09T11:40:00.003+08:00

Top 400
180 Universiti Malaya
291 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
314 Universiti Sains Malaysia
320 Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
345 Universiti Putra Malaysia

When could a Malaysian university get into the top 500 Shanghai Jiao Tong University Academic Ranking of World Universities?

NEAR Newsletter Aug 2009

2009-09-02T14:14:00.004+08:00

Some highlights:
Muslim scholar loses Dutch posts Muslim scholar loses Dutch posts
Israel and Academic Freedom
Indonesia: Private universities under threat
Top Sri Lanka academic threatened
Torture and Academic Freedom
Cut student numbers not university quality, says leading academic

Unesco 2009 World Conference on Higher Education

2009-08-04T15:17:00.005+08:00

Paris, 5-8 July 2009

Conference Report:
http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20090717090006346

EI Statement to the conference
http://download.ei-ie.org/Docs/WebDepot/20090705_EI-Statement-To-2nd-UNESCO-WCHE_en.pdf

THE: Principled message of freedom for universities

2009-07-13T09:21:00.002+08:00

Times Higher Education, 18 June 2009

Unesco group calls for global ombudsman and index to bolster academic values, writes Phil Baty

An international ombudsman to uphold the "principles and values" of higher education should be established alongside a global index of academic freedom.
These are the key recommendations made by senior figures in European education who gathered in Romania's capital Bucharest last month to attend the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's Forum on Higher Education.
The proposals are made in the "Bucharest Message", which will be submitted for validation to Unesco's 2009 World Conference on Higher Education in Paris next month.
In light of the global financial crisis, it states that "higher education and research are now entering a new stage of development", and calls for the restoration of the central role universities once played in supporting democracy, culture and social cohesion.
The message proposes that universities adopt codes of conduct on ethical teaching and research practices, and ensure that "civic values, democracy, justice and tolerance" are institutionally embedded to become "integral learning outcomes for all students".
But the key recommendations are the creation of an international ombudsman and a global index to rank nations according to their commitment to university autonomy and academic freedom.
The Bucharest Message says: "Institutions of higher education promote values essential for democratic society, as well as for the cultural development of society and the personal development of individuals.
"For this very reason, higher education cannot be separated from values and ethics. They are, together with academic freedom and institutional autonomy, key tenets of higher education."
But it adds: "The recent financial crisis has illustrated that a lack of such qualities and competencies can bring about overwhelming negative consequences.
"Furthermore, only with academic freedom and ... autonomy are higher education institutions able to strive for truth and further knowledge in order to contribute to ... sustainable development."

Paths to legitimacy
To protect these core tenets of the academy, Unesco calls for the establishment of an international ombudsman with a remit to "resolve conflicts related to principles and values of higher education".
Bastian Baumann, secretary general of Italy's Magna Charta Observatory, who led the debate on "values" at the meeting, said that discussions focused on the need for an ombudsman, rather than the details of how it would work.
The question of its powers and remit "depends on where such an ombudsman would be established", he said.
"If it had official powers, it would have to be created by, for example, Unesco, on a sound legal basis. If it was created by a different body, it would need to derive its legitimacy from an endorsement by the global higher education community.
"The powers in the latter case would not be of a legal nature, but rather an ethical and social one. They would be derived from the general endorsement of ministries, universities, students and their organisations, in which they would state their willingness to co-operate with the ombudsman."
Professor Baumann said that the ombudsman's need for independence could prevent it from being established within Unesco, which is an intergovernmental organisation.
"Given the sheer volume of possible cases, it would also be limited to severe violations of the fundamental principles and values of academia," he said.
However, he added that disputes between universities and public authorities could also be tackled.

Index-linked freedom
The Bucharest Message also calls for international support for plans to set up a global index on academic freedom.
Professor Baumann said that the index would "provide transparent information about obstacles to academic freedom in specific countries".
This could result in a ranked table, similar to Transparency International's Global Corruption Barometer, he said.
As many in the international higher education sector feel threatened by the prospect of years of economic austerity, the message also warns against narrowing the focus of university research to tackle purely financial problems.
"The support of all areas of study and research needs to be ensured, thus not only focusing on areas of immediate commercial interest," the message states.
Jan Sadlak, director of Unesco-CEPES, Unesco's European Centre for Higher Education, said it was vital that the plans be adopted at the conference in July.
phil.baty@tsleducation.com

BUILD BRIDGES, NOT BARRIERS
The international economic downturn is likely to inflict long-term damage on the quality of higher education, Unesco delegates have warned.
In their "Bucharest Message" to July's World Conference on Higher Education, they said that the recession is "changing the context in which higher education will function in the years to come".
The message adds that "cost-cutting measures" are adversely affecting academic staff's employment conditions and professional development.
"The consequences of such measures could lead to a long-lasting negative impact on the quality of higher education," it states.
The message adds that now more than ever, the notion of "academic moral solidarity" should become the norm and a source for seeking new paths to international collaboration.
It identifies sub-Saharan Africa as an area in particular need of support, and warns against the dangers of "academic protectionism".

NEAR: The World Conference on Higher Education, 5-8 July 2009, UNESCO, Paris

2009-07-13T09:13:00.001+08:00

The World Conference on Higher Education will be held in July at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on the theme of “The New Dynamics of Higher Education”. It follows the 1998 World Conference, which was important for recognizing higher education as a key factor in the progression of nations and their people, for sustainable development and for human rights as well as for democracy, peace and justice.

Higher education values- academic freedom, institutional autonomy and social responsibility including respect for human rights- were a major thematic discussion at the 1998 conference and an important component of the concluding plan of action and UNESCO’s activities in higher education in the decade since. NEAR and Scholars at Risk (SAR) have submitted a platform, urging the organisers and participants of the WCHE to ensure that higher education values remain a major theme of the 2009 conference, as they were in 1998. Specifically we have asked for:-
1.) Further dissemination of the 1997 Recommendation Concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel and also further dissemination of information about existing mechanisms designed for ensuring such standards are put into place.
2.) More discussion and activities with regard to UNESCO’s complaint procedures relating to breaches of academic freedom and a review of the steps taken to involve organisations that represent higher education communities in activities aimed at promoting and defending their academic freedoms.
3.) Leadership from UNESCO, in the form of a directive or other broadly distributed statement and related activities, on the responsibility of the higher education sector to assist higher education professionals displaced by threats experienced in their own countries and a specific plan of action to deal with the grave threats and many thousands of refugee scholars from Iraq.
4.) Leadership from UNESCO in establishing an annual International Academic Freedom Day to highlight the importance of academic freedom, institutional autonomy and social responsibility not only for the education sector but for all members of society.

The Executive Director of NEAR has been invited to speak at the event as an expert on academic freedom issues.

For more information about the conference, please visit UNESCO at:
http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=56642&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

Latest from University World News

2009-06-23T10:04:00.002+08:00

IRAN: Post-election violence spreads to universities
AUSTRALIA: Student attacks create India-Australia tensions
US: Department tackles visa delay for researchers
UK: Allow students arrested on terrorism charges to study

http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20090618194701537

The World Conference on Higher Education: 5-8 July 2009, UNESCO Paris

2009-05-18T09:38:00.001+08:00

"The New Dynamics of Higher Education" is the theme of the World Conference on Higher Education. It will bring together key stakeholders to forge a new commitment to the development of higher education. A global platform for innovative thinking, the 2009 World Conference will take stock of the changes in higher education and research since the last World Conference in 1998, address the dynamics shaping the strategic agenda for the development of higher education and identify concrete actions to meet national development objectives and individual aspirations.

http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=56642&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

Asian Universitity Ranking 2009

2009-05-14T11:31:00.005+08:00

QS Quacquarelli Symonds (compiler for THES World University Ranking) has published the 2009 Asian University Ranking:

http://www.topuniversities.com/worlduniversityrankings/asianuniversityrankings/asian_university_rankings_top_200_universities/

Malaysian Universities that made the list are:
39 Universiti Malaya (UM)
51 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
69 Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
82 Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)
90 Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)
171Multimedia University (MMU)

ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA

2009-03-03T15:54:00.001+08:00

Education Outcomes of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA

The Australian Government has issued a series of ‘fact sheets’ on the outcomes and the gains to Australia of the recently concluded free trade agreement between ASEAN and Australia and New Zealand. Please find below ASEAN countries commitments in respect of education services, as set out in the trade in services fact sheet. The extracts from the fact sheet have been slightly edited to make them more readable.

Normally the services chapter of an FTA covers movement of persons from one country to another in order to supply a service. This FTA is unusual because it contains both a chapter on trade in services and a separate chapter, and accompanying schedule of commitments, in respect of the movement of natural persons. Consequently commitments in the FTA in respect of movement of persons to supply education services, as set out in the Movement of Natural Persons fact sheet issued by the Australian Government, are reported separately below.

Education Services

Malaysia has committed to allow joint ventures in higher education with foreign equity up to 51 per cent, subject to the relevance of courses to Malaysia’s education objectives.

Laos has committed to allowing foreign higher education service suppliers to establish a commercial presence, e.g. a university campus, with up to 100 per cent foreign equity.

The Philippines has committed to allowing 40 per cent foreign equity in the establishment of education institutions to engage in twinning programs in the fields of agriculture, industrial, environment, natural resource management, engineering, architecture, science and technology and health-related programs.

Vietnam has committed to reduce the experience requirement for Australian teachers in higher, secondary and other education services (including foreign language training) from five to three years. It has also agreed in the FTA to expand its World Trade Organization commitments on the fields of study that can be delivered by foreign education suppliers.

The expanded list of fields of study is as follows: agriculture, architecture, building, business administration, management, computer science, construction information systems, dental services, economics, education, engineering, environment, surveying, health, community services, land and marine resources, animal husbandry, language studies, law, legal studies, life sciences, manufacturing, mathematics, medical science, medicine, multi-field education, nursing, pharmacy, physical sciences, science, services, culinary and hospitality, transport, veterinary science, visual and performing arts.

Thailand has committed to allowing 49 per cent foreign equity in foreign language tuition services.

Movement of Natural Persons and Education

The Philippines has made commitments that cover not only services suppliers, but also goods sellers and investors. The former include specialists under contract as part of a higher education twinning or bridging program in the fields of agriculture, industrial, environment, natural resource management, engineering, architecture, nursing, midwifery, science and technology and health-related programs. The period of stay is one year, which may be extended.

Malaysia has made commitments providing for temporary entry and stay of lecturers and experts and professionals (subject to numerical caps) and contractual service suppliers in higher education, for periods of stay up to ten years.

Thailand has committed to allowing temporary entry for teachers employed or invited by firms established in the secondary, higher, adult education, and foreign language tuition services sub-sectors. The period of stay is one year with the possibility of an extension.

For further information, please email me at tmurphy@nteu.org.au. Recipients of this document who wish to examine the original fact sheets and other material from the Australian Government on outcomes of the FTA should go the website of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, www.dfat.gov.au. The full text of the FTA can be found on this website.

Ted Murphy
National Assistant Secretary
NTEU

Skim Perkhidmatan Pensyarah

2009-02-06T16:01:00.002+08:00

Semasa sesi dialog Majlis Perdana Perkhidmatan Awam antara Pak Lah dengan kakitangan awam pada Rabu, 4 Febuari 2009 lepas, seorang ahli akademik telah menimbulkan mengenai Research U dan Apex U. Beliau telah menyatakan RU dan AU nampak gah dari segi peningkatan dana penyelidikan tetapi tidak ada banyak perubahan di aspek lain seperti skim perkhidmatan staf universiti. Bagi para akademik, mereka ditekan untuk membanyakkan penyelidikan dan banyakkan paper tetapi tidak diberi lebih banyak peluang dan ganjaran untuk naik pangkat. Ini bukan sahaja dihadapi oleh RU dan AU tapi juga universiti yang bercita-cita untuk jadi RU.

GERAK bercadang untuk menulis satu kertaskerja mengenai penambahbaikan skim perkhidmatan pensyarah untuk diserahkan kepada Pak Lah dan KPT pada hujung bulan ini. Tolong beri pandangan dan cadangan anda untuk satu skim perkhidmatan pensyarah yang mampun menarik dan mengekalkan para akademik didalamnya.

Antara persoalannya ialah:
Perlukah diadakan skim perkhidmatan pensyarah yang berbeza untuk AU, RU dan U biasa?
Atau satu skim untuk semua?
Patutkah pensyarah AU dan RU mendapat ganjaran yang lebih?
Apakah ganjaran yang adil untuk pensyarah?

UUCA Amendments 2008

2009-02-05T12:07:00.002+08:00

GERAK Press Statement on the amendments to the University and University Colleges Act

18 August 2008

GERAK, a registered society that has been actively supported by academic staff associations and unions of all public institutions of higher learning, and hence being a voice of the more than 23,000 academicians in these institutions, is of the opinion that in order for Malaysian universities to improve to the “world class” standard touted by the government, the following elements must be in place:

- Academic freedom for staff to teach, conduct research and disseminate research findings and opinions, without fear or favour
- Student autonomy to associate and express opinions in a free and open manner in order to expand their intellectual and social horizons thus ensuring graduates who are worldly, and intellectually mature
- A university culture based on intellectual integrity and academic merit
- Autonomy of universities to make decisions in the best interest of academia and society and not political interests

GERAK is pleased that the Ministry of Higher Education has started the process of amending the University and University Colleges Act (UCCA); however we are doubtful that the amendments will make any significant changes that will lead to the elements mentioned above. Although input from GERAK was obtained in July 2006, the amendments that are being put forward in the proposed bill have not satisfactorily addressed many of the concerns voiced two years ago.

In particular, we are concerned about governance, integrity and academic freedom and among the matters we are concerned with are the following:
- The committee proposed by the amending bill to choose the Vice Chancellor is a vague entity with no clear terms of reference and no indication of its membership. It is uncertain if they will be a true “search committee” which has the freedom to advertise for the post of VC or whether they will play a mere short listing role, working with candidates proposed by the Ministry. It is also unclear if the Minister has final discretion ij the choice of VC.
- The same worries and doubts apply to the composition of the Board of Directors, Senate and the selection of Deputy Vice Chancellors and Deans as well as the rules and criteria that will be used in the selection and running of these governing bodies.
- On the face of it, students have greater freedom to join organisations; however the restrictions on joining political parties and “illegal organisations”, raises problems. Regarding political parties, there is no logical reason provided in the explanatory notes, why a student has fewer rights than a non-student citizen. Regarding “illegal organisations”, this is a broad group which could include bona fide NGOs which have trouble registering with the registrar of Societies. Furthermore, the VC still has very broad discretionary powers to name any group or organisation as banned for students.
- Student expression is limited to “properly organised” forums like seminars etc. This goes against Article 10 of the Constitution which guarantees a right of speech.
- The proposed new section 15D which states that students charged with a registrable offence may be suspended by the VC goes against the principle of the presumption of innocence.
- The proposed removal of section 16A of the UUCA means that all staff disciplinary matters is now under the Statutory Bodies Discipline and Surcharge Act (SBDSA). The SBDSA is a law which covers the entire civil service and it is very restrictive, especially on the freedom of expression. Academics in public universities, although being paid by the government, are working under very different circumstances from civil servants and thus should not be subject to the same disciplinary rules

Due to the very short time the draft bill has been available for discussion and based on the serious concerns above, GERAK implores that the bill amending the UCCA is not debated in Parliament until further public discussion can take place in order for any changes to the UCCA to be meaningful and for it to be able to move our universities towards “world class” standards, which GERAK believes is what both the universities and the government wishes for.

Prof. Wan Abdul Manan Wan Muda
Chairman
Pergerakan Tenaga Akademik Malaysia (GERAK)
(Malaysian Academics Movement)

APEX U, RESEARCH U DAN LAIN-LAIN U

2009-02-03T17:34:00.000+08:00

Khabarnya ramai diantara kita tertekan oleh universiti kita untuk mengejar atau mengekalkan status Apex atau Research Universiti. Kita menghadapi tekanan amat berat untuk menambahkan penerbitan jurnal ISI. Penerbitan jenis lain dipandang rendah. Buku-buku tak main. Ini supaya universiti masing-masing nampak baik semasa audit RU tahun depan dan juga untuk ranking THES. Ada juga universiti sampai tidak lagi terima permohonan PhD/Master dari mereka dengan CGPA kurang dari 3.0. Pemohon PhD yang dah ada master pun tidak diterima jika CGPA masa undergraduate kurang dari 3.0. Nak jadi pensyarah bukan hanya perlu ada PhD tapi juga CGPA masa undergraduate mesti lebih dari 3.0. Tak boleh 'taubat' selepas dapat CGPA rendah.
Dimanakah dia kesarjanaan di universiti kita? Adakah perlu kita ikut telunjuk THES-QS, sebuah money-making, non-academic organisation?

GAZA

2009-02-03T15:03:00.000+08:00

12 January 2009

Mr. Ehud Olmert
Prime Minister of Israel

pm_eng@pmo.gov.il

Please Stop the Bombing and Massacre of Palestinians

We, the undersigned, representing more than 50,000 academics in various institutions of higher education in Malaysia, would like to record our sadness and dissatisfaction in the way the War of Gaza is being conducted. We deplore any loss of human lives whoever it may be, but also find it deplorable that 100 Palestinians have to die for every dead Israeli in this very one-sided ‘war’. No amount of explanations can justify the fact that the Israelis, with their protector, the USA, are killing innocent civilians, including women and children.

We are specifically saddened with the news of the bombing of the Islamic University of Gaza. With the bombing, the already minimal facilities for education of thousands of students in Gaza, has now come to an end. So too the continued strangling of Gaza will end the education of many young Palestinians. This in turn will effect the future development of Palestine and Gaza in particular.

To argue who is right and who is wrong in the war would be a never ending affair. However, we demand that this war be fought with full compliance of the Geneva Conventions. We demand that all civilian and civilian buildings (houses, mosques, hospitals) be protected and not to be targets of your military aggressions. In particular, we demand that you and your government show respect for the sanctity of academic institutions such as universities and schools. History has shown many times that a civilization would start to decline when schools/places of learning are destroyed and books burned.

Thank you for listening.

Prof. Wan Manan Wan Muda,
Chairman, Malaysian Academics Movement (MOVE/GERAK)
wanmanan@kb.usm.my

Faisal Mustaffa,
General Secretary, Private Higher Education Institutes Academic Staff Union (KAPTS) <faisal@bukitbendera.org>

Prof. Dr. Mohamed Aslam Haneef,
President, International Islamic University Malaysia Academic Staff Association (IIUMASA) mdaslam@iiu.edu.my

Abdul Halim B. Abdul Majid
Secretary General, Academic Staf Association of Universiti Utara Malaysia (PERSATU) mailto:ahalim@uum.edu.my

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yahaya Ibrahim
President, Academic Staff Association of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (PKAUKM) ya@ukm.my

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Junedah Sanusi
President, University of Malaya Academic Staff Association (PKAUM)
junedah@um.edu.my

Prof Dr. Omar bin Shawkataly
Vice President, Academic and Administrative Staff Association, Universiti Sains Malaysia (PKAP) <omarsa@usm.my>

Dr. Mohd Hasnain Bin Md Hussain,
Acting President, Academic Staff Association, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (PPAU) <hhasnain@frst.unimas.my >

Ab Latiff Ishak
President, Academic Staff Union Universiti Teknologi MARA (MITASA)
<mitasa05@yahoo.com>

cc

Datuk Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Prime Minister of Malaysia

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